ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · ball · straw · wax · hide · staff · sharp · pass

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wax — to grow
  10. pass — a permit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. staff — employees
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com